That's the long and the short of the current situation for Cincinnati's distinguished live jazz nightclub.

"We are trying to find somebody to help us run the restaurant," according to Ed Felson, a co-partner in the enterprise. "Right now, we're doing the best we can."

Felson created a surge of worry among jazz artists and patrons in this area recently when he sent an email indicating the club could close at the end of January.

Since then, the calls have been virtually non-stop.

Felson has been contacted by other interested neighborhoods that would like to see the Wisp relocate to their neck of the woods. He sounds appreciative of the sentiments, but wants to stay downtown, if possible.

The Blue Wisp moved to its current venue at 7th and Race a little over a year ago after its 8th Street spot was bulldozed for parking lot purposes.

Spacious new digs meant an ambitious new menu for a club that was formerly content with drinks, pretzels and a five-star lineup of jazz artists, including the house Big Band on Wednesday nights.

"We weren't prepared for so many people at one time", Felson told News 5 Thursday night.

The Wisp has a fiercely-loyal customer base, but it's not enough to keep the business going indefinitely.

In trying to attract new customers from the hotels and suburbs, the owners initially bit off more than they could chew. They readily admit they're music people, not restaurant people.Such candor can be rare in the nighttime entertainment business. Whether it pays off or not, the push to save the Wisp is underway.

"We've received a lot of help from a few people who came in at no charge to work on our menu", Felson shared.

Additionally, Towne Properties landlord Neil Bortz, according to Felson, has been very understanding as the lease gets reviewed and perhaps reworked.

"At least we both want the Wisp to stay", Felson added. "That made all the difference in the world to me."

Contrary to reports that the place would cease to exist if he had to move, Felson emphasized, "Our doors are still open. We'll stay downtown if we can. If we can't, I'll open somewhere else."

Local students who regularly jam at the Wisp and hone their improvisational skills with the old pros might take heart from Felson's determination to find a way.

"If we go out of business, whose going to make that up?", he asked rhetorically. "All that live music?"

The answer hung in the air like a note floating from a soulful sax in the Rosemary Clooney room.